A much needed rainy day, quiet and peaceful as I walked around under my umbrella looking for things to photograph and share in this week’s eblast. The complex seed pods on the Castor Bean (Ricinus communis) caught my attention, as did a potted American Century Plant’s leaves (Agave americana) and the young fruit on a Fig tree (Ficus carica).
Picture credits: Margery Ennist.
Our frequent contributor, Steve Kanan, has sent another batch of beautiful closeups from the Arboretum. Thanks, Steve, for chronicling our transition toward Fall.
Summer is not ready to give way to cooler weather yet, hazy, hot and humid conditions have returned … hoping the forecast for rain will hold. The striking foliage of Strobilanthes dyerianus (Persian Shield) is providing spots of color in the circular tropical bed next to the Marsh Meadow Deck, the Campsis radicans (Trumpet Creeper Vine) is lush and full of flowers growing over the Arbor on the way to the front entrance of the Haggerty Education Center and the water in the Rock Garden pond was serenely reflecting the blue sky and white clouds overhead.
Picture credits: Margery Ennist.
We’ve had some very welcome and desperately needed rain this week, things are looking a bit better, but hoping for more precipitation soon. Some plants, such as Cottinus coggygria (Smoke Bush) still had rain drops on their leaves. Anemone September Charm (Japanese Anemone) and the neotropical Tibouchina (Glory Bush) are blooming and adding lots of color in the gardens.
Picture credits: Margery Ennist.
Warm, less humid, but still very dry – the weather makes me think of that old song by The Temptations, “I Wish It Would Rain”. My interest today was captured by a variety of flying creatures: A female Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) nectaring on a Zinnia flower, a Spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) nectaring on Verbena bonariensis and the dreaded Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatulus). This last one is an Asian invasive that wreaks havoc on our grape, orchard and logging industries – I followed environmental agencies’ instructions and squashed it dead!
Picture credits: Margery Ennist.
Frequent contributor, Steve Kanan wrote: “Went to the garden today (Fri) and was happy to see a couple butterflies and one slightly cooperative hummingbird moth.”
Thanks for the beautiful pictures, Steve.
Quintessential mid-summer weather: hazy, hot and humid, scarcely a breeze to be found and no relief from the puny little puffs of air movement encountered. Stayed in the shade, looking for relief from the heat; thank goodness for the various water fountains dotting the property, their rippling waters and dripping sounds provided some respite from the heat, even if only fleeting. Photos show the Sylvan Terrace pool and fountain, the Shade Garden goldfish pool and mini waterfall, the Rose Garden fountain with its four jets and the trickling fountain next to the pergola behind the Mansion – most of the water features on the property are either in the shade or shade is nearby. Stay cool!
Picture credits: Margery Ennist.
A hot summer day, the gardens are a bit dry and blooming less profusely, but plenty of color can still be found. A medium-sized Crape Myrtle shrub (Lagerstroemia indica cv. Velma’s Royal Delight) is full of flower clusters, the Black-Eyed Susan plants (Rudbeckia) are beginning to bloom and there are pockets of Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata) blooming in several beds.
Picture credits: Margery Ennist.
Frequent contributor, Katharine Boyle sent these beautiful images along with the following note:
”Enclosed are some recent images from Friday. I’ll admit that the up close and personal photos of the honeybee are a bit intense. You can see its tongue (proboscis) and its ocelli (tiny “simple eyes”) in the shots. Bees have two large eyes and then three tiny eyes above them. Hope you and others enjoy them! “
I’m sure we will.
Thanks to a few showers yesterday, the humidity is down and it feels much cooler today, what a relief! The Gardens next to Matilda’s cottage are blooming beautifully in a riot of colors, textures, shapes and heights. There are bright red Daylilies (Hemerocallis), light pink Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos), mauve Cluster Top Vervain (Verbena bonariensis), tall white Tobacco plants (Nicotiana), bright orange Turks Cap Lilies (Lilium superbum), and several decorative dry Allium giganteum (Giant Onion) seed heads. Plan to visit soon, these are not the only gardens in bloom.
Picture credits: Margery Ennist.
